Milk Baths 101
Welcome to Milk Baths 101! Just kidding, but seriously save this page for when you are ready to do the photoshoot. Go through this step by step and it will make it as easy as possible for you and your little one.
first things first
The first thing we need to address is safety. Obviously a baby and liquid can be a little uneasy, so here's a quick coupe of things and then we will get started. ----> I always recommend having another adult available to be there. Ya never know when you're going to need an extra set of hands. Make sure the temperature of your water/liquid isn't too warm. I love to use the little floating duckies that have the hot water indicator on the bottom. The best $3 ever spent for peace of mind! Lastly, if your baby has an allergies be mindful of what you're having them soak in during the milk bath.
What you need
Here's a list of what I used for this photoshoot.
Water
Corn Starch
Big Wooden Spoon
Flowers
A big white sheet
Camera
The setup
In the milk bath that I did for my daughter, I used a white tub. Some people choose to use little kiddie pools (be mindful of the color), and then place a white sheet in it. Whatever you choose, follow these steps to get the set up.
- Fill the bath to the amount you feel comfortable at for your baby. You don't want it too high where it covers their body fully. I used warm water and did about 2-3 inches of water. My baby loved this amount and I never got nervous that she was going to take in any water. She was 4 months old when I did this.
- Once you have the water to the right amount, grab your corn starch. The corn starch is what is going to make it white. You can add as much as you'd like. The more you add, the whiter it will be. Beware of chunks of corn starch if you add too much.
- Stir, stir, stir.
- Now you have your milk bath. Next comes the flowers. You need real flowers, not fake flowers. Fake flowers will not float in the water. I purchased a bouquet of flowers that I loved and used it for the milk bath. Cut the stems to your preference. I also would recommend putting more flowers than you think you need.
- Once you've got your flowers set, you're ready to focus on your lighting. I recommend doing this with as much natural light (sunlight/window) as possible. When I did the milk bath I had a big window right next to the tub. Although you want natural light, you don't want harsh sun right on the baby. If you have too much sun that day, place a sheer white sheet over the window. This will help diffuse the light. Think of the lighting on a cloudy day. Its not making you squint but you're still able to see clearly.
You're ready to shoot
Alright, you've got your milk bath ready, you've got your'e lighting set, now it's time to add the baby. Have your helper place the baby in the milk bath. Take it slow. Lay them down and allow them to splash. Play some music, and make it fun. I always recommend a full belly and well rested baby for the best results. :) Take pictures from different angles, give the baby a leaf or flower to explore, and have fun!
